RARE FRUIT COUNCIL ACTIVITIES "The Emblic (Phyllanthus emhlica L.), A Rich But Neglected Source of Vitamin C."

Transcription

1 WHITMAN, ET AL: RARE FRUIT COUNCIL 297 The Florida Sweet Barbados cherry seems to be hardier than the other clones. It was not injured when the temperature fell below 33 F. for 8 hours on January 15, 1956, yet some defoliation and twig burn occurred in the other selections, especially on branches near the ground. The Florida Sweet also can be propagated more readily from cuttings. Al though slow in rooting, cuttings of the Sweet selection consistently root better than the other clones. A number of new selections are being tested in the field. These include tart selec tions originating at the Experiment Station and Puerto Rico. Also, a number of seedlings planted out in 1954 are under observation. Summary. The Barbados cherry shows con siderable variation when grown from seed. The desired characters to be looked for in selecting seedlings for clonal propagation are outlined. Of the three clones of Barbados cherry under field observation since 1949 at the Sub-Tropical Experiment Station, the semi-rsweet clone has been most outstanding and it is considered superior in many respects. It is proposed to name this selection the "Florida Sweet Barbados cherry." REFERENCES 1. Arostegui, F., C. F. Asenjo, A. I. Muniz, and L. Alemany Studies on the West Indian cherry, Malpighia punicifolia L.; Observation and data on a promising selection. Proc. Fla. State Hort. Soc. 67: (Also in Jour. Agric. Univ. Puerto Rico 39 (2) : 51-56, 1955, as "Observations and data on a promising selection of the West Indian cherry, Malpighia punicifolia L.") 2. Arostegui, F., and W. Pennock The Acerola. Univ. Puerto Rico Agr. Exp. Sta. Misc. Publ. No. 15, 10 pages. 3. Asenjo, C. F. and C. G. Moscoso Ascorbic acid content and other characteristics of the West Indian Cherry. Food Research 15 (2) : Asenjo, C. F. and A. R. F. de Guzman The high ascorbic acid content of the West Indian cherry. Science 103: Asenjo, C. F The story of the West In dian cherry (Malpighia punicifolia L.) Boletin del Colegio de Quimicos de Puerto Rico. 10: Gobin, M The Barbados or West Indian cherry in Florida. Univ. of Fla. Sub-Tropical Exp. Sta. Mimeographed report No. 14, 3 pages. 7. Ledin, R. B The West Indian or Barbados cherry. Univ. of Fla. Sub-Tropical Exp. Sta. Mimeo graphed report No. 56-1, 6 pages. Also in Citrus In dustry 36 (ll):26-27 and 36 (12) : Ledin, R. B A report on improvement of subtropical fruits at the Sub-Tropical Experiment Station, Homestead, Florida. Ceiba 4 (5): Levy, R. A Acerola, a new source of Vitamin C. La Hacienda, June 10, p Morton, K. and Julia Morton Fifty tropical fruits of Nassau. Text House, Jnc. Coral Gables, Fla. p Moscoso, C. G West Indian cherries and the production of ascorbic acid. Univ. of Puerto Rico Agr. Exp. Sta. Misc. Publ. No pages. 12. Mustard, M. J The ascorbic acid con tent of some Malpighia fruits and jellies. Science 104: Ruehle, G. D Miscellaneous tropical and subtropical Florida fruits. Univ. Fla. Agr. Ext. Ser., Bui. 156, p Revision of H. Mowery, L. R. Toy. and H. S. Wolfe's Bui. 109, Salazar, C. G Propagacion de la Acero la. Re vista del Cafe, Puerto Rico. Sept. p. 11, 13, Santini, R. Jr Identification and deter mination of polybasic organic acids present in West Indian cherries (Malpighia punicifolia L.) and in three varieties of guava (Psidium guajava). Jour. Agr. Univ. Puerto Rico 37(3): Stahl, A. L., M. Kaplow, and R. Nelson The present status and future possibilities of Bar bados cherries. Proc. Fla. State Hort. Soc. 68: Sturrock. D Tropical fruits for Southern Florida and Cuba and their uses. Arnold Arboretum Harvard University, Jamaica Plain, Mass. p Univ. of Fla. Agricultural Experiment Stations Annual Reports. 1948, p , p RARE FRUIT COUNCIL ACTIVITIES William F. Whitman, President Salvatore Mauro, Recording Secretary Seymour W. Younghans, Corresponding Secretary The activities of the Rare Fruit Council of South Florida were introduced to the Krome Memorial Section on November 2, 1955, when a paper entitled, "The Rare Fruit Council, A Tropical Fruit Study Group," was delivered at the annual meeting of the Florida State Horti cultural Society in Clearwater, Florida. On that occasion Dr. Bruce Ledin, Kendal and Julia F. Morton and William Whitman, mem bers of the Rare Fruit Council, attended the meeting as a group. Mr. Whitman delivered the paper cited, Dr. Ledin presented "Rubus Trials in South Florida" and Julia Morton, "The Emblic (Phyllanthus emhlica L.), A Rich But Neglected Source of Vitamin C." The first meeting of the Council following the Clearwater convention was held Friday evening, November 11, 1955, in the Botany Building of the University of Miami. A Flori da-grown fruit of the Indonesian "seedless"

2 298 FLORIDA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY, 1956 guava (Psidium giiajava), sampled at a pre vious meeting of the Rare Fruit Council, had aroused considerable interest. Kendal Morton brought out the fact that the seedless guava was propagated vegetatively in the Far East as far back as 1905, and it seems odd that it is only now, a half-century later, being intro duced to, and receiving the attention of, * American experimenters. The Saharanpur Seedless guava is described in literature as of excellent quality, nearly or totally seedless, and firm when ripe. There are doubtless, in foreign countries, many other highly improved fruits of which we at present have little or no knowledge. Seymour Younghans brought seedless mabolos (Diospyros discolor) from two different trees. Although of separate origin, the fruits were very similar and of fair quality. The one from the Bell tree had only a slight cheeselike taste. Christman's fruit appeared the less dry of the two. A breadfruit (Artocarpus altilis) grown in Bal Harbour, Florida, was pre sented by William Whitman, his tree having fruited for the first time in Prior to this, a breadfruit tree planted by Duffield Matson bore on Key Biscayne. Stanley Kiem, Superintendent of Fairchild Tropical Garden, brought some lovi-lovi fruits (Flacourtia inermis), which, were attractive but quite sour. Following this, Whitman showed a colored documentary sound film on native life in French Oceania, photographed by him during a year he spent there and elsewhere in the South Sea Islands. At the January meeting, the field of tropical pomology that should be encompassed by this group was discussed. It was decided that com mercial fruits such as avocados, citrus, mangos, etc., should be omitted since other groups are already specializing in these fields. The dis covery or introduction of a fruit of obvious merit, in this commercial category, would con stitute an exception to this rule. Fruits on display for the evening were some of Mr. Younghans' fine jaboticabas (Myrciaria cauuflora), also some genipaps (Genipa americana) and courbarils (Hymenaea courbaril), both of the latter received from Puerto Rico by Julia Morton. Also shown was a large bunch of Hawaiian Popoulu ba nanas grown by Mr. Mauro. The evening's ac tivities were concluded with the showing of colored slides of fruits photographed in Hawaii by Mr. Whitman. The question of establishing Council mem bership dues came up at the February meeting and they were set at $4.00 annually beginning with January 1, At the same time, Dr. Francis Lincoln, of the Sub-Tropical Experi ment Station, was elected Treasurer by unanimous vote. At the March meeting, the fruits presented included a very large and fine canistel (Pouteria campechiana, formerly Lucuma nervosa) and an out-of-season sugar apple (Annorw squamosa). At our April meeting, Seymour Goldweber, recently returned from El Salvador and Guate mala where he attended the meeting of the Tropical Section of the American Society for Horticultural Science, gave a most interesting report. He told of the many efforts made to improve the agricultural economy of Central America. Experimental plantings of oil-pro ducing trees, tea plantations, sugar and cacao were being stressed and, on the higher eleva tions, temperate zone fruits. Interesting ob servations were made on both the fruit and the edible tuber of the chayote (Sechium edule) and the popular drink made from the passion fruit (Passiflora edulis). Mr. Harsono, Director of Food Technology of the Bureau of Horticulture at Djakarta, Mr. Arif, from the Industrial Department, Minis try of Economics, at Sumatra, and Mr. Jo Jan Lim, Head of the Perennial Crop Division of the General Agricultural Research Station at Bogar, who had recently visited the Morton Collectanea at the University of Miami, were later entertained by William Whitman. He reported that he took this opportunity to show them the "Seedless" guava, which he had im ported from Indonesia nearly two years ago. Mr. Harsono stated that in his country this is called "Djambre sukun" and that he personal ly had supervised the packing and shipping of this valuable fruit tree to Mr. Whitman. Another seedless Indonesian fruit discussed was a superior variety of durian (Durio zibethinus) which sells at a high price in the na tive markets. During this discussion of the fruits of the Far East, it was learned that Mr. Harsono, who worked with Dr. J. J. Ochse on "Fruits and Fruit Culture in the Dutch East Indies,"

3 WHITMAN, ET AL: RARE FRUIT COUNCIL 299 published in 1931, has recently brought out a book of his own entitled, "Buah Buahan Kita." This book on the fruits of Indonesia, complete with color illustrations by native artists, brings up to date the results of research done on these trees in the Far East. "Buah Buahan Kita" is presently being translated into Englsh through the cooperation of the Embassy of Indonesia in Washington, D.C. Two new fruits appeared at this meeting of the Rare Fruit Council. Whitman displayed an exceptionally large Malay apple (Syzygium malaccensis) taken from his tree in Bal Har bour, the exquisite scarlet blooms of which had been displayed at the February meeting. The fruit, which weighed 9 ounces, is be lieved to be the first to be grown on Florida's lower East Coast. Mrs. Morton brought a fruit of the cassabanana (Sicana odorifera). This is a beautiful red melon-like fruit, shaped like the fruit of the sausage tree (Kigelia pinnata). The flesh, yellow in color with a musky flavor, is eaten both fresh and preserved. It is supposed to have a medicinal value and in the West Indies is also prized for the de lightful fragrance it imparts to a home. It is borne by a stout, high-climbing vine. During the May meeting, the serious prob lems occasioned by the presence of the Medi terranean fruit fly in South Florida were dis cussed. Reference was made to Hawaii where the Mediterranean, Oriental and Melon fruit flies had made it necessary to bag fruit to prevent infestation. Dr. Lincoln brought a basket of canistels and Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Hill contributed a bottle of rum with which a canistel, or "eggfruit," nog was prepared. This rather unusual drink was most pleasing and is probably the only way some people can be induced to partake of this fruit! Julia Morton then spoke of Mrs. Phyllis Storey's canistel pie, with its fine flavor and high vitamin A content. Dr. Bruce Ledin gave a brief talk on Passiflora species, displaying specimens of the pur ple passion fruit (Passiflora edulis) and stat ing they had a good crop at the Sub-Tropical Experiment Station. The members were im pressed by the fine quality of the sampled fruits. Whitman related that passion fruit growing in Hawaii was becoming an impor tant industry, the juice being used for drinks, pies, ice cream, etc. Robert Read told of a superior karanda (Carissa carandas) being propagated by him, and Olga Kent stated that David Sturrock had been experimenting with fruit sirup made from karandas. Additional fruits discussed and displayed were: the jaboticaba, the bilimbi (Averrhoa hilimbi), the wampi (Clausena lansium), and a fruit cluster of the African oil palm (Elaeis guineensis). At the June meeting, the Council was privileged to have with them Mr. Chih-Foo Yang, Director of the Chiayi Experiment Sta tion, Chiayi, Taiwan, Formosa. The climate of Formosa, from a temperature standpoint, very closely approximates that of South Florida and we, accordingly, felt that we had much to gain from Mr. Yang's experiences in the growing of the more cold-intolerant tropical fruits. Mr. Yang spoke of the night tempera ture at the Chiayi Experiment Station oc casionally falling to 30 degrees Fahrenheit for several hours during the winter cold fronts that sweep down off the Asiatic mainland. Al though of short duration, there had been in stances of breadfruit and durian trees being killed to the ground. These two trees, which he considered the least cold-resistant at the Introduced from Hawaii, this strain of dwarf Cav endish banana (Musa nana) produces two or more fruiting stems from a single stalk.

4 300 FLORIDA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY, 1956 Station, usually recovered by sending up new shoots from their roots. Mangosteens (Garcinia mangostana), though generally regarded as extremely tropical, were apparently not seriously injured by this degree of cold. In addition to infrequent cold spells, Mr. Yang stated that Formosa experiences periodic typhoons, similar to our tropical hurricanes, which make it difficult to find trees of any great height over much of the island. The longan (Euphoria longana), a commercial crop, is not consumed fresh in large quantities like the lychee (Litchi chinensis) but is pop ular when dried. The longan is occasionally used as a root-stock for the lychee where the latter would not normally survive due to either unsuitable soil or a fluctuating water table. The related rambutan (Nephelium hppaceum), while not widely distributed, bears profusely on Formosa. Mr. Yang is the author of an interesting book, "Manual of Fruit Trees in Taiwan," published in 1951 and profusely illustrated with drawings and photographs of each fruit covered. However, don't send to Formosa too hastily for Mr. Yang's manual unless you are prepared to read its two hundred and seventyfive pages in Chinese! The meeting concluded with sampling of fresh lychees brought by Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Hill from their grove in Vero Beach and a viewing of colored slides of some of their exceptionally large lychee trees. At the July meeting, with 26 members and guests present, President Whitman stressed the importance of sending reprints of our 1955 report to fruitculturists in tropical areas, in- The paniala (Flacourtia cataphracta). This heavily fruiting branch was taken from Prof. E. E. Lord's tree in Fort Myers. Photo by Kendal and Julia Morton

5 WHITMAN, ET AL: RARE FRUIT COUNCIL 301 forming them of the Council's activities in the field of tropical pomology. Copies of the paper mailed to correspondents in Hawaii had brought enthusiastic responses. Breadfruit tree (Artocarpus altills) at Bal Har bour, Miami Beach, after extensive cold damage, January, Several 2' to 4' mangosteens (Garcinia mangos tana) in pots beneath this tree were uninjured. A box of mango cheese from Jamaica was also presented by Mrs. Morton and sampled and enjoyed by the group. Mr. and Mrs. Roscoe Glenn exhibited and served slices of frozen sapodilla (Achras zapota), showing that this fruit can be frozen whole and still retain its palatability. During the August meeting, Douglas Knapp, Assistant Dade County Agricultural Agent, gave a timely and detailed talk on the Medi terranean fruit fly spraying program. Mr. Newcomb reported some spray damage to fo liage in his nursery and the Hills stated that their crop of lychees had to be marketed local ly due to the fruit fly quarantine. Kendal Morton reported on the recent visit of W. B. Hayes, Horticulturist of the Allahabad Agri cultural Institute, Allahabad, India, and au thor of "Fruit Growing in India," now in its second edition with a third edition in work. Much horticultural data was exchanged dur ing the greater part of two days which Mr. Hayes spent with the Mortons and at the University of Miami. Dr. Ledin also spoke of Mr. Hayes' visiting the Sub-Tropical Experi ment Station of the University of Florida. Mr. and Mrs. Robert Newcomb brought to the meeting ripe fruits of the Bombay Green mango, a favorite "freestone" variety in Ja maica. These fruits were from one of several grafted plants of this variety introduced by Julia Morton from Jamaica and distributed to experimenters in this area. The Newcombgrown tree is the first of these to bear in this country and the Newcombs are propagating from it. Mrs. Morton demonstrated how the Bom bay Green is prepared for eating in Jamaica. A cut was made completely around the equa tor of the fruit, and through to the seed. Then, using a slight twisting motion, the two mango halves were separated and the seed which remained protruding from one of the halves was then freed with the knife. This method, which prepares mango halves for the table in attractive form and with the least possible waste, is successful only with such relatively fiberless varieties. The same breadfruit tree, seven months later, showing degree of recovery. A large jackfruit (Artocarpus integrifolia) from Mrs. David Fairchild's tree was brought in and cut and served to the group by the

6 302 FLORIDA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY, 1956 Mortons. The jackfruit, native to India, was introduced in 1783 into Jamaica where it is now common, and from there has spread over much of tropical America. Mrs. Fairchild's is one of eight trees known to be fruiting here in Dade County, Florida. Mr. and Mrs. Robert Newcomb brought colorful frozen purees made from the mamey (Mammea americana), Barbados cherry (Malpighia glabra) and the carissa (Carissa grandiflora). These delicious tropical fruit preparations, which would appeal to the most critical gourmet, should do much to enhance the popularity and use of these three fruits. Two members of the Rare Fruit Council es tablished a precedent, at this August meeting, by bringing fruit trees for distribution to those present. The plants offered were the SES No. 4 loquat (Enobotrya japonica), the Malay apple, the round and aromatic Itamaraca mango and several varieties of grafted avoca dos (Persea americana). At the September meeting, a general dis cussion of the cold resistance of tropical fruit trees took place. Stanley Kiem said he be lieved that the two sixteen-foot mangosteen trees on the Montgomery Estate, located just south of Fairchild Tropical Garden, had sur vived light frost without apparent damage. Whitman presented ripe Missouri-grown papaws (Asimina triloba). This temperatezone fruit, which is related to our tropical Annonas, has a distinctive and pleasing flavor. Grafts of this species on the pond apple (Annona glabra) have taken. It remains to be seen whether they are sufficiently compatible for successful growth. Mr. and Mrs. Newcomb again provided interesting refreshment in the form of frozen fruit purees, one of which, made from the native persimmon (Diospyros virginiana) was rated as having particular "taste appeal." Dr. Lincoln brought a striking and exceptionally large sugar apple which was found to weigh The cassabanana (Sicana odorifera), seeds of which were brought by Julia Morton from Puerto Rico in Treated as annuals, the vines have produced their spectacular fruits here each winter since 1953, dying- back each spring. Photo by Kendal and Julia Morton

7 BUTCHER AND GOLDWEBER: MAHOGANY WEEVIL lb. 6 oz. This fruit was sampled and de clared to be of excellent flavor, and the tree, which bore a number of fruits of the same size and quality, is presently being propagated by grafting. At our most recent meeting, in October, we were fortunate in having with us Mr. Ed gar Rihm, who teaches Plant Physiology at the University of Santiago, Santiago, Chile. Mr. Rihm spoke of the climate of Chile as be ing either too diy at sea level or too cold in the mountains for most tropical fruits, al though papayas and guavas are grown in the warmer areas. The sub-tropical cherimoya is prized but not at all common in Chile. A fruit of the Bettina Dwarf papaya, a typically pumpkin-shaped, low-growing varie ty, was brought in by Dr. Lincoln. This fruit was of excellent quality and one of the first papayas to ripen from the seeds of this com mercial strain introduced a year ago from Queensland, Australia, by Mrs. Morton and distributed here, in the Bahamas and in Puer to Rico. Plant Introductions During the past year, pomological material has been exchanged by members of the Rare Fruit Council with horticulturists in Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines, Hawaii and Cuba. As each intro duction comes into bearing, the Rare Fruit Council will report on the quality of the fruit and the characteristics and requirements of the plant. This large Malay apple (Syzygium malaccensis), from the Whitman tree at Bal Harbour, is believed to be the first grown on Florida's lower East Coast. This paper has only highlighted the varied activities of the Rare Fruit Council. The keen interest shown by the members has con tributed greatly toward a successful year. The opportunities for progress in our field of in terest are unlimited. We hope to continue in our endeavor to make worthwhile contribu tions to tropical fruit culture. SOME NOTES ON A WEEVIL ATTACKING MAHOGANY TREES F. Gray Butcher and Seymour Goldweber Division of Research and Industry University of Miami Coral Gables Early in 1954 an injury on certain mahogany tree trunks in Miami Springs was observed by the junior author, characterized by an ex tensive gummy exudate with small quantities of reddish colored frass collecting in rough ened bark areas and crotches of limbs. Furth er observations revealed larval borers feeding just under the bark, apparently in the cam bium area. A few small snout beetles were found on these trees, and eventually larval and pupal forms collected from the bark bur rows emerged as these same beetles. Adult specimens of these insects were for warded to the U. S. National Museum, and were identified by Rose Ella Warner as Lechriops floridanus (Fall), a representative of the tribe Zygopini in the weevil family Curculionidae. Miss Warner advised that the Museum collection contained a single- speci men of this species which was "apparently